Guardian Chronicles 13: Meet Thy Fate
by StSE
Summary: G1/Arm/BW cross: Three Sagas end in bloody finality - three OCs shall meet their fate. Some are tragic - some are blessed. But in the end not a single one is an OC anymore.
1. Chapter 1

****Meet thy Fate****

_Note: This story combines Armada, Beast and two G1ish universes together – As well as being the final saga of three of my series: Face Thy Fears, Raptor, and Finding the Good Within… _

_OCs (who won't be in the end): __**Hunter **__– a 'bounty hunter' who is a loner, overly confident, arrogant bitch of a femme Seeker__**. SunSpot (AKA Spot) **__– full sister to Hunter but is the exact opposite in temperament. Basically she's a timid, soft-spoken, underconfident Seeker femme who'd like nothing better than to hide with her cloaking from everyone. __**Raptor **__– Human sparked Seeker, the original Guardian matriarch. Is almost perfect as a sneak attacker/saboteur being an F-22 – but has a temper that causes her to make serious mistakes. _

_**Guardians: (AKA Earth mechs) **__An AU group I've created through many sagas. These mechs are all descendants from a human sparked Seeker. They are all built on Earth outt've a blend of technologies. They are basically a 'deeply religious sect' whom believe that they are governed directly by Primus himself. Though they take 'mates' from both Decepticons and Autobots – they refuse to join in intramech conflict due to 'religious reasons'. _

Ok, you don't necessarily have to read all my other stories which lead up to this one in order to understand the flow and enjoy the action. But Raptor's fans have demanded a finality – so here it is! And guess what – every SINGLE of the OCs will not be one in the end…

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_*G1ish dimension…_

I gasped as pain shot through me. The explosion that I myself had initiated had overtaken me. My systems now too depleted for teleport. I was lost… I knew this..

"Go SunSpot! Take them!" I shouted. With the final measure of strength coursing through my chassis, I reached down, ripped my tail fins off and threw them to the mech lying across my sister's back.

I didn't see if he'd caught them. All I heard was the sound of her afterburners as she spent the last bit of her energy into a desperate attempt to escape. I prayed that she had. Wimpy, useless Seeker that she was – she was still family, she was still my spark blood..

I looked down as I tumbled through the thin atmosphere. Down at the Decepticon base that was now in chaos…. Today was indeed a good day to off line. And by Primus, I was going to take as many of them down with me as I could! My name would be whispered in reverence for cycles to come… For honor means more than life. The code of the warrior means life itself. And to off line in a blaze of glory is the death every mighty warrior dreams of!

Activating all the war heads on the munitions still within me, I transformed into jet mode. Helpless without my tail fins, I plummeted towards my fate.. My fate that would place me in the journals of history..

For I am a warrior, daughter of the greatest of Decepticon warriors – and as my chassis is ripped to a million shards of molten carbide and metal – my released spark rejoices in its freedom. I meet my final destiny in a blaze of glory and unwaverable bravery unmatched by any before me!

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*_Armada dimension.._

Raptor sighed in pleasure as she slowly stretched each of her linkages and servos in turn. It felt almost as good as when she stretched back in her human life. That stray thought triggered the familiar longing within her again. That ancient longing to hold her human children tight against her bosom…. To tell them that it would be ok now… Mineral oil tears filled her optics even as they brightened with full activation. The empty ache filling her air frame.. An ache that would never truly go away, no matter how many thousands of years had passed since she'd breathed her last breath as a human…

Arms encircled her then. Strong, powerful arms that sought to protect her from the internal torment she would forever suffer. "It is that day," was all he said.

Turning, the Guardian buried her helm into her bond mate's hood, her tears now flowing freely. Her chassis shuddered with her sobs of loss.

All he could do was hold her then. Hold her and wait for her sadness to once again fade to the back of her memory banks. The big mech gave a sad sigh as he lent her what little support he was able. His optics drifted to the large window across the room. The gaseous clouds of Earth's atmosphere drifted lazily over the rolling hills surrounding the Earth mechs primary base. It was beautiful in an organic way. A sense of timelessness seemed to keep its hold on this planet. A timelessness defined by the very Seeker in his arms. A Seeker older than the Autobot faction – yet who was forever plagued with the loss in her former life…

"Thanks Optimus, I needed that." Pulling away from him, she strolled up to the window, using its reflection to help her wipe away the evidence of her inner weakness.

"We all have old demons; sometimes they get the better of us." Standing up, he reaching over and gently stroked her wing. "You know you can always come to me."

The Earth Commander nodded, a wry smile crossing her face plate as she turned her head and met his optics. "I hear that Hotshot is doing a lot of that recently. Anything I should know about?"

Predictably, Prime shook his head and moved onto a different subject. Hotshot was having some relationship difficulties and the last thing he needed was a nosey mother-in-law getting into his business. In fact, the young mech had made him swear an oath NOT to tell this particular femme anything! And one thing Optimus prided himself in, was keeping his oaths! "We have a busy day today, are you up to it?"

"Ugggghhhh! You HAD to remind me of it," Raptor snorted with an exaggerated rolling of her optics.

Reaching next to him, Prime grabbed the buffing supplies off the table. Shoving them into her not-so-eager hand, he turned around. "Well, it was your initial idea," he replied.

"Well you should've put a hand over my mouth! You know I talk before I think!" With another disgusted snort at herself more than anything – she began to buff out the scuffs on her mate's back armor.

"Then you should put more energy into learning not to speak before you think, hmmm?" Other mechs might be afraid of spurring on her temper by teasing her like this – Prime was not. In fact, he'd learned that even if he pissed her off a bit. After she stormed around for a day cycle or two, she'd end up apologizing TO him and admit that he was right. The make up nights were simply – indescribably good! Ah, the joy of having a slightly temperamental mate….

Raptor slammed her mouth shut before she burned him right back, because simply put – the fragger was right. She just wasn't willing to put the energy into trying to change that right now. Instead, she made sure to be a little rough with the buffing rag..

Optimus just grinned, although he did enjoy those make up sessions – life was much more enjoyable when the femme chose her battles wisely. She would've lost this one and she obviously knew it. He glanced over his shoulder in amusement at his sulking mate. So very different from his first mate Skyfire… So very different….

She felt a pang then. A strange pull on her very spark! Will a surprised gasp, she dropped the buffing rags and fell to a knee, her arms wrapped protectively around her other one. The Borealis Crystals buried in her armor there pulsed wildly.. Their magnetic fields expanding so rapidly that her normal dampening systems could not compensate..

Noticing her immediate change, Prime whirled. He scanned the room with his full battle sensors as he fell to his knees next to her, his arms protectively over her intakes. "What's wrong Raptor?!?"

"I….I don't…" she gasped..

She was rudely interrupted by an image as it appeared right in front of them. A translucent hologram of a red mech looked as surprised as they were. His blue optics widened and his jaw dropping in total amazement. "It… It really works???" he gasped in wonder.

Optimus stared back at him, the battle hardened soldier already having his weapon out and ready. "Who are you?!?" he demanded to know.

Another mech appeared in the hologram. He was slightly smaller than the first, but the Autobot insignia was obvious on his red and white hood. "Another Autobot? I thought we were supposed to be calling that Matriarch or whatever she is?"

Hearing this, Raptor extended out her retracted wings, the double insignias obvious on their surface. They were using the familial term for her, and also knew how to call her using the matrix crystals. This only meant one thing. Something that filled her core with total dread… One or more of her family members had been taken to their dimension. Had told them about the crystals, how to call her if need be… And there was only one reason to call – their Guardian was either off lined or close to being so. "Who gave you the crystals?!?" she demanded, her optics narrowing to slits.

"Holy Primus, it's her Red! It really is!!" Relief seemed to fill every servo in the rather thin-built taller red mech. He looked to be some type of fire engine alt mode.

Deciding that these holographic Autobots were no threat, Prime put away his weapon. "What is this Raptor?" he asked with an arched optic ridge directed at her.

Crossing her arms, she stared at the holograms with an expectant look. "There's only one way they could call me – and that's if one of our children are in serious danger," she explained. "Now answer my question you two!" her voice was lowering into a dangerous snarl.

"Thank Primus we found you… Spot hasn't come back and…." the smaller mech apparently named 'Red' began..

"And Hunter showed up with some of our lost comrades. She went into a rage when she found out Spot had been sent out, and took off after her!" the fire engine added.

Red's voice became pleading as he leaned towards them, his translucent optics boring into theirs. "We TOLD them she wasn't a fighter! We tried to talk them out of it!"

The other nodded his head in sad agreement. "Now they're both missing, and the cons are in a flurry of activity in their quadrants! We NEED your help!"

"Sunspot? Do you mean Sunspot???" Raptor's tone changed to one of intense concern.

"Yes, and Hunter said they were sisters or something… Well, screamed something like that.." Inferno replied.

"Is this 'Hunter' a silver-tipped Seeker-type, with a bit of a superiority complex?" Prime asked. He squeezed Raptor's wing as he did so. They'd both worried greatly when those two Seekers had been 'taken' by Primus. Neither one was ready or able for that kind of responsibility!

"Uh, yeah, I think that's how they described her personality. She was a bounty hunter or something." The fire engine gave them a shrug.

The worst scenario…. Primus it was the worst! Grinding her dental plates against each other, Raptor knew they had to go. "Does your Prime know about the Borealis Crystals?" she asked.

They both shook their heads. "Spot told us. She's our bond mate and all. So we kind've snuck the new crystal into the matrix. That's how we got the spent one," Red explained.

Well, at least SunSpot had finally started dating mechs. And they seemed to be fairly loving ones. But there wasn't time to spare; she'd get the full story when she arrived. "I need you to keep the depleted one near the repowered matrix. That's the only way I can track your dimension."

"Well, I guess I can make some kind of excuse to hang around him for a while. Um, how long do I need to?" the fire engine asked.

Raptor shrugged. "At least one day cycle."

With that, the hologram faded out…….

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_*Back to G1ish dimension…._

"I thought you checked those yesterday?" Optimus asked as the mech walked by him again.

Climbing a ladder, Inferno fumbled around with some of the wiring around the smoke detector imbedded in the ceiling above the main control room. "I only checked the fire suppressant equipment, not the sensors. I need to make sure that they meet code."

Prime shook his head and turned his attention to other things, like the fact that the young con Seeker hadn't shown back up yet with the Autobots she was sent to rescue. "Any more information on the Decepticon frequencies?" he asked Blaster.

"Oh, they're riled up like a nest o'cyberwasps right now! Apparently, they took down either Spot or Hunter during the surprise raid – but lost almost an entire base doin' it. That's a heck of a party!" the communications specialist was humming in excitement over the whole thing. He'd have loved to have seen the battle! Being in it would've been even better!

"But nothing else?" Optimus asked.

"Nope… Nada… Nothing…They're still searching for the other one."

Ultra Magnus patted Prime's shoulder armor. "Well if it's Spot that survived – they'll have a heck of a time finding that Guardian." After all, she'd wandered throughout the Autobot base for many tens of day cycles without being tracked down hadn't she? She was a true master spy – that one!

The big red mech put his head on his servo, regret plainly on his face plate. "I wish I'd believed her – I wouldn't have sent her!"

"It was such a crazy story, who would've believed it?" Prowl replied, his voice as steady as his optics. He still had no qualms about sending the Guardian to prove her loyalty to them. Even with Hunter returning their lost mechs and showing up with actual Autobot sired offspring of those mechs – he had no qualms…. The Guardians were built to fight, plain and simple. Built to sneak in and jerk those prisoners out right under Megatron's olfactory sensor!

"Those that listen with open metas would've believed," a deep baritone voice said from behind them. In the blink of an optic, the room was filled with a mix of alien designed mechs as they appeared and took control of every Autobot in the room. Before any of them could even react, the sounds of transformation filled the large hall, as a powerful combiner mech seemingly appeared from out of nowhere and then separated into his separate components.

The femme who'd been his jet 'backpack' leapt up into the air, coming down on top of the Autobot leader, pinning beneath her with a laser sword held to his throat. "You deserve a beating for sending a fucking civilian into a combat situation against hardened troops!" she snarled as she pressed the blade tighter against his neck….. Her face plate nothing but a sheet of pure rage….

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	2. Chapter 2

****Meet thy Fate part 2****

"Scavanger, Falcon, Sideswipe – secure them." The massive Autobot ordered as he nodded for them to herd the other dimension's Autobots into a group. Turning his attention to a blue Autobot who'd just appeared with another Guardian Seeker; "Red Alert, can you hack into their systems?"

The cool soldier nodded for his Guardian partner to get to work. "Yes Optimus, shouldn't be an issue for Contrail."

At the mention of his name, the 'captured' Autobots mouths fell open in total shock. They stared from him to their own Optimus – who was still dealing with a very angry Guardian right now.

The Armada Prime didn't seem terribly worried though. Ignoring the tense captives, he motioned for the fire engine to come down off the ladder. "You – what is your designation?" he asked as the smaller mech's peds touched the floor.

Inferno's optics were huge at this point. He'd expected a couple of Guardians to show up or something – not the entire 'family' of mechs and Guardians! He glanced over at his comrades, who were now glaring at him. "Um, Inferno, sir!" he replied with a slight straightening of his shoulder armor. His comrades should've believed him… This never would've been necessary if they had!

The big mech nodded and extended his hand in greeting. His optics drifted over to the black Guardian as he did so. "What are you doing Raptor?" he asked even as he shook hands with Inferno.

Raptor had connected wirelessly with the matrix within the dimension's Prime the second she had landed on him. It was simple really. After all, it had originated with her – so she had all the administrator override programs locked deep within her own processor core. The matrix opened its core programs to her, and through the integral connection it maintained within the Prime carrier – she now controlled his systems as well. In an instant, Optimus Prime had found himself paralyzed and helpless as his primary motor controls suddenly went off line.

He stared in amazement at the black femme as she straddled him. Casually, she tossed her laser sword up in the air. The weapon split into the three tiny mechs who made it. From the question of the other Prime, it was obvious that this femme's designation was 'Raptor'. Very fitting considering the success of their sneak attack. An evil smirk crossed her face plate as she tapped his hood with a digit – his systems opening it at her unspoken command. "I'm deciding if this Prime deserves to keep possession of MY matrix," she replied.

Optimus's spark pulsed wildly at the connotation in those few words. The way they were spoken, and the fact that this Guardian had been accompanied by Autobots – another apparent Prime to be exact – left little doubt in his meta that she spoke the truth. His energy fields fluxed as her digits slipped over his very spark chamber – caressing the matrix nestled tightly against it.

Armada Prime sighed and walked over to her. Placing a hand on one of her wings, he got her to glance up at him. "Is this really necessary?" he asked.

The femme shook him off, her attention back on her helpless quarry. "The easiest way for us to know what has happened and what needs to be done – is in him." She nodded at the big Autobot commander. "You do your job – and I'll do mine."

He seemed unsure as he glanced from the prone Prime to his mate. He sensed a kindred spark nearby. Sensed the very emotions that he was feeling! Studying the chassis of their Prime – he realized that he was looking at another dimensional version of himself.

Raptor had once told him that she'd always run across another Optimus in every dimension she had traveled. And here – now… He was actually meeting another one as well. He was certain of it! He was so spark-linked to this mech, that he could even feel his mate's weight straddling his chassis – as if it were his own. "He is me…" he noted, his commanding voice becoming slightly softer. Reaching out, he touched the face mask of the other Optimus.

Raptor frowned a tad. "I knew that the second we entered this dimension." Her digits became more firm on the surface of the spark chamber she touched. The familiar feel of her bond mate's spark energy tickling her circuits – even though this Optimus wasn't actually HER mate. "Pity. Just means if I kick your tail pipes like you deserve – MY mate will suffer as well!" she smirked at the captive Prime.

Optimus shifted his optics from femme to mech and back again. He too felt the nearness of a kindred spark. His own pulsed wildly under the femme's hand. He wasn't used to being this helpless… This exposed to all… He couldn't even speak – for his systems had betrayed him. Through the matrix, this Guardian – had now assumed control of his every servo…

Armada Optimus nodded - his optics full of thoughtfulness. "I'm glad you realize that, Raptor. Be gentle with your interrogation." With that, he walked off. His booming voice filled the commandeered base with orders – which both the Guardians and Armada Autobots leapt to obey.

The lighter-built Prime locked optics with the femme, even as he felt her using the power of his link with the matrix to tear through his firewalls one-by-one. The invasion broke through them as if they were nothing but the thinnest of plastic. He felt her shut down his interface nets – even before he realized that they were reacting to her nearness… To her intimate touch on his spark chamber and the matrix.

_If I'd known…._he thought to himself, a flood of regret washing over him. Willingly, he lowered his remaining firewalls – knowing she now knew those thoughts. He wanted her to know that it was all just a simple misunderstanding… Wanted this to end peacefully, without loss of any of his mechs… A brief flash of a superimposed image crossed over her as he did so. Making her appear to be Elita One for the briefest of moments before flying away into nothingness…. Optimus gasped in reaction to the powerful emotion that washed over him in reaction. Emotion now overshadowed by the relentless encroachment of the strange femme into his very meta…

She snorted - her optics narrowing. _Without loss of YOUR mechs! _She snarled in his meta. She ripped into his deepest memory files then. Copying and downloading in a blur so fast that the mech himself couldn't keep up…

Her emotions were as clear to him – as his were to her. Optimus felt her rage… A rage overshadowed by such a deep and profound fear – that it shook him to his very core… His optics faded slightly as he realized the depth of her concern for the young Guardian he had so callously sent out on a suicide mission. So callously sent out because he'd just blindly believed what his optics told him of her abilities. _Is she truly a civilian? _He whispered in his meta.

Raptor had now broken into his core files. With ease, she began to zip and download every classified bit of information that might be of use to the Special Ops team. Her optics softened slightly as she felt the honesty in his question. In a flash, she downloaded a brief vision of what Sunspot had been in her home dimension. Of a terribly shy femme, who lived in her clock of secrecy. Of that youngster, wrapped in the comforting strong arms of her grandfather who'd raised her…. Crying about disappointing the family…

Tears filled Optimus's optics as he opened the small file. He understood the true depth of his error then. His very spark felt torn in two. His own arms aching to hold the shy granddaughter he now felt as much his – as his counterpart's. _And… Hunter? _He didn't know if he wanted to ask – or even know – what his connection would be with the arrogant bounty hunter. But he had to. It was because of her return with three of his mechs – that they had even learned of their great mistake. Fearlessly, the arrogant Guardian had zoomed off to save the civilian they'd so ruthlessly forced to go into danger… His thoughts drifted to his last sighting of her.. Silver tipped wings disappearing into the emptiness of space..

_She was the top of her class, _Raptor's thoughts interluded upon his. A vision of Decepticon Seekers and Guardian Seekers in full battle training filled his RAM. He had no problem picking out the bounty hunter amongst them. She flew next to a brilliant red Decepticon, easily matching him move for move. A beautifully deadly dance of pure brilliance… _Her father is the commander of our Decepticon allies. She is our granddaughter…" _The strangely-accented voice filled his meta.

He felt her begin to slip out of his meta, leaving an aching emptiness in its wake. An emptiness he had not felt since the loss of his dear Elita. A stray vision of her flashed through his RAM drive. A flash easily caught by the Guardian not yet fully disconnected.

Raptor's meta flooded back over him like an unstoppable wave. Following the link to the files on Elita – she encroached upon the most vulnerable and hidden part of his memory banks. Shocked at the sudden assault, Optimus tried to fight back. But as quick as he put up new firewalls – she blew through them in a brilliant wash of data flow. _Please… Don't do this… _he pleaded to her through their intimate link.

Unstoppable, she flooded into him, greedily copying all his files concerning his life with Elita… Her death… His love… His angst…. The mech went totally limp underneath her as she ravaged his mind like no other. His intake gasping for air as he succumbed to the total and complete rape of his meta… Finally… blessedly… she stopped her assault and pulled out.. But he was laid naked before her judging optics now… She knew every error in judgment… Every mistake he'd made that had ended in tragedy…

He felt her release her connection to the matrix. His hood closed, protecting it inside him again. Why had she let him keep it after everything he'd done so wrong? Optimus had no idea. He lay there submissively underneath her for a moment, even as his motor system came back on line. Their optics locked as each studied the other.

"You have a much closer relationship with our family – than you'll ever know," Raptor whispered to him. Then suddenly, her weight no longer weighed him down.

He sat up, his meta reeling slightly in confusion at it all. "Raptor? I…."

Her optics were hard as ice as they met his. "Get over there with your men," she ordered.

Not knowing what was truly happening, but sure that the Guardian 'Special Ops' team was solely focused on the rescue mission of their Guardians – Optimus staggered slightly as he obeyed her order. He trembled a bit as Ultra Magnus reached out for him, steadying him as he leaned against his strong shoulder.

"Are you ok Optimus?" he asked in a worried tone.

Prowl looked him over. His soft touch belaying his deep concern for the leader… "What did she do to you? Is the matrix secure?"

Gathering himself once more, Optimus straightened his shoulders and stood on his own again. "She downloaded everything," he informed them.

All of his officers stared at him in a mixture of disbelief – and horror. To have broken into a mech's processors so thoroughly and easily – was unthinkable! And these 'invaders' now knew all of their secrets!

"Everything?" Ultra Magnus prodded him. The big mech wasn't able to believe the Guardian had managed that. She'd only been linked with him for a few astrominutes at best.

Optimus nodded, his optics as cold as stone. "Down to Elita."

Every Autobot knew the story. Every one understood how deep and personal the pain of her loss was to the great soldier. For the Guardian have to even broken into those memories…. How dare she!!! It was worse than raping a mech!

His bond mate studied him with understanding optics, for Elita had been his sister. But there were more pressing matters right now. Namely, the fact that their base was now invaded by other-dimensional mechs – which didn't seem overly friendly to them at the moment…. Well, except for Inferno that is… His optics shifted to the fire engine. Who was moving amongst the Guardian/mech forces as if he was one of them. "What do they want?" he whispered to Optimus.

"Their Guardians that we lost." His optics also began to follow Inferno around. His meta wondering just how the mech had managed to call Spot's 'family' in the first place.

"Is it true that Spot was an honest civilian?" the blue mech's voice broke slightly as he asked.

Optimus nodded, not even bothering to say a word.

"No one builds a civilian-bot like her! They're lying!" Sunstreaker snarled. Further commentary was stopped as one of the biggest Autobots guarding them suddenly grabbed him by his throat in a flash of movement so fast – that even Prowl stepped back in shock.

The big mech lifted up the yellow mech, not the slightest bit bothered by his useless hits on his arm. "You've much to learn about Guardians," Armada Scavenger said with a smirk. "Perhaps I should mention your little comment to Raptor?" he taunted.

A small blue Autobot next to him snickered, his optics gleaming in mischief. "She's got a bad habit of droppin' us ground mechs, bro," he snickered. Lifting one of his hands as high as he could, he made a whooooshing sound as he dove it down, ending with a 'BOOOM! Oh, frag that hurt…' right afterwards. Making it quite obvious to all the ground mechs – what he meant by her dropping them…

Sunstreaker struggled in vain, glaring daggers at the powerful Autobot. "You've got a lot to learn about us, you rust bucket! We don't take kindly to mechs just waltzin' in our base and doing as they please!"

"Sunstreaker – stand down!" Pushing through his tightly packed officers, Optimus reached out to his mech. Who had the appearance of a cat toy being dangled high above the ground….

The grizzled mech gave the gladiator a smug smirk. "Obviously you mechs don't have much of a security system – much less soldiers," he insulted. Casually, he tossed the mech down as if he was nothing but a ball.

An indignant howl of disbelief burst from Sunstreaker's vocals as he hit the ground and slid through his comrades. Sparks flew from his tail pipes – and he just KNEW his paintjob was totally ruined! "I'm gonna so make you pay for that!" he snarled as he jumped to his peds and ran at the mech.

He was stopped in mid-stride by his own comrades. Grabbing him, they threw him to the ground and held him there before he could add any more fuel to the situation.

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"Scavenger, Sideswipe – stand down," Armada Optimus ordered with a quick glance behind him. Assuming they'd obeyed his order, he turned his full attention back to his men. It was obvious that he had more disciplined troops than the other Prime, for the big mech just smirked and said no more. He didn't need to – for his optics said enough.

"Shields down sir," Red Alert reported. His hands glided over the computer inputs, digits a blur as he punched in codes. With a nod to the Guardian assisting him, he read some more incoming data. "We've killed the long range sensor grid as well. Shouldn't trigger the alarms when they arrive."

"Blurr – report," their leader turned his optics to a silver soldier. Who was now sitting at the Autobot's communications center.

Several of the captive Autobots gasped in disbelief. This was their Blurr??? No fraggin' way!!! And their Red Alert, and Sideswipe?!? Their disbelief grew….

The local Sunstreaker pushed through his friends, until he was almost face plate – to – face plate with the Armada mech with his twin's name. They stared at each other long and hard. Both of them felt the slight link between them…. The Armada Sideswipe didn't seem the least bit phased though. A grin appeared on his face plate. "Well Scavenger, these definitely ain't the mechs Raptor grew up with," he snickered.

"Why's that?" He flexed his treads as he nodded at the one named Sunstreaker. They were far from done with their little feud… Another time…

The dull colored Sideswipe pulled his counterpart's twin closer for a good look. He cocked his head in amusement as they studied each other. "Well, he IS my twin – but he's not that other twin. Remember him? Those mechs that stumbled into our dimension through the warp gate accident."

"I do recall that unruley bunch. Didn't they piss off their Decepticon allies or something?" Scavenger's strong gaze stayed on Sunstreaker, making the smaller mech back up slightly.

"Yeah, somethin' like that. But THAT twin was cool as hell – this twin is a dud. Know what I mean bro?"

Sunstreaker glowered at his 'twin', almost losing his temper for the second time in just as many astro minutes. "I'm no 'dud' – whatever the frag THAT means!" he replied in a low and threatening tone.

The dull colored Sideswipe just shrugged, and with a grin let him go. Turning to the silver-tipped Guardian next to him, he elbowed her. "It's gonna be such a blast to blow up a base or two don't ya think?" he asked with a conspiratorial wink.

Her wings bristling with missiles, she gave him a nod accompanied by a slight upturning of her lips. But her optics were locked on those whom she was charged with guarding. Optics filled with an obvious eagerness to see battle.

Scavenger about knocked over the small mech as he laid a heavy hand on his shoulder. Leaning down, he gave him a serious glare. "Battle is not to be face lightheartedly. It is serious business."

Shrugging him off, the younger mech just snickered. "Been there done that – or don't you remember, old timer?"

"I remember a certain groupie who tracked us down after a particular officer had saved his aft. If my memory serves me right – he found that youngster hog-tied upside down and screaming for help like a sparkling." Scavenger's optics gleamed in amusement.

The captive Autobots listened to the exchange between the pair for a bit. They seemed – normal, just like them. Now, having a feel for them – they decided that they could join into the conversation with them.

"Sounds like some of our troops," Ultra Magnus chuckled with a quick glance at Optimus.

The powerful mech turned his optics to him. The two studied each other for a brief moment before he spoke. "Seems to be a constant plague on us. You get one trained – then another wannabe appears."

"I am NOT a wannabe!" Armada Sideswipe snorted. He tapped the Guardian's wing, looking for support, as he now had not only Scavenger – but also their 'captives' – giving him the critical look-over.

Meeting his optics, she nodded her agreement to his statement.

This caused Scavenger to roar in laughter. "When only your MATE backs you up – you have issues," he taunted.

Sideswipe huffed a bit, but an elbow from his mate stopped him from burning back. Her optics told him that he was entering a losing battle with the elder.

Ultra Magnus matched the big mech's chuckle. "Youngsters, full of energy and eagerness – got to love 'em." He felt a kindred spark within the soldier. A soldier apparently as old and wise as he himself was.

"You may love them – they are nothing but a meta ache to train." Scavenger gave the mech a comradely pat on his shoulder mount.

"So, are we your prisoners?" Prowl asked him, the ever pragmatic police clone more interested in developing a strategy on how to deal with these new Autobots – than becoming 'friendly' with them.

Scavenger shrugged, but didn't budge. "Just keeping you out of our way. Would hate to let you screw things up again."

Prowl noted that the other mechs had now taken out the base's defensive grid, and had broadcasted to the other Autobot bases that their communications equipment was being shut down for a particular time frame. Obviously, they didn't want the other Autobot forces to realize that they were here. "What are you planning?" he prodded.

Deciding that it really wasn't important to keep it a secret from them – since they would know in a matter of astro minutes anyways – Scavenger shrugged again, "bringing in the rest of the family," he explained.

Peds shuffled uncomfortably as the Autobots glanced at each other. They'd thought that this was the entire Special Ops force that had come. How many more were there???

"We really fragged this up if they're sending this many!" Ultra Magnus whispered to Optimus.

"It's not like that at all," the young Guardian femme said. She glanced around the command center, at the Autobots and Guardians who were working in perfect synch with each other. "This is just the Autobot half of the family."

This caused quite the stir among the captured Autobots. Optimus's optics went wide in surprise. Pushing past the big mech, he marched right up to his counterpart. "You are NOT landing Decepticons at our primary base!" he demanded.

Armada Prime turned and met his optics, his demeanor as calm and in control as ever. "They are our allies – members of our Guardian family," he stated.

"Every Autobot base will go on immediate code red if you do. They CAN'T land here!" Optimus slammed his fist down on his own command console. He couldn't believe that he was standing here, arguing with himself over this. The mech had to know that they had automatic alert systems in place for a sneak attack by cons. Landing them here would trigger it!

"We've shut those systems down. All your other bases will see standard readouts," Raptor said as she walked up to the pair. Giving Optimus a wink, she added "Thanks for that info."

His mouth fell open in shock at her boldness, even more so as she grabbed his arm. "Let's go meet with our son-in-law shall we?" In the blink of an optic, he was no longer in the command center any more. They now stood on the edge of the base's runway, overlooking the large lake next to it. Why, he had no clue. And he truly had no clue about her reference to a 'son-in-law'. What in the slaggers was that?!?

His mechs who were on duty at the time, began to run towards him, surprised at the sudden appearance of their leader – and the strange Seeker standing next to him. He lifted his hand, signaling them that everything was ok. They lowered their weapons, talking to each other in low tones as they tried to figure out what was going on.

The femme transformed next to him. "Climb on," she ordered.

"Why?" He wasn't sure he really wanted to be alone with this Guardian. After all, she'd already raped his meta. What else was she capable of?

"Because, with you standing on his deck – your mechs will not open fire. Climb on!" Her wings wiggled a bit. "You want this to be peaceful – don't you?" her tone was full of threat, and he had the sneaking suspicion that she'd not think twice about throwing the base's entire staff into their own brig – and leaving them to rust while her force ran everything without them.

With a resigned sigh, he nodded and slowly climbed on. Laying his chassis across her topline, he propped his peds against her strangely angled tail fins for more security. "You mind telling me on who's deck I'm supposed to stand on?"

Before he even finished the question, she had warped again. They were now soaring at high altitude, heading straight for a strangely built ship of large size. The Decepticon insignias bright on its – or his – sides… Numerous wings of Seekers fell into formation next to them. The Decepticons evenly intermixed with the Guardians.

"The base has been secured for final approach?" a red Decepticon Seeker asked as he fell in right off her starboard side. His voice was slightly different in tone, but Optimus instinctively knew that this was their dimension's Starscream. His battle processor leapt online in a flash…

"We are ready for final approach. Window of five astrominutes before base systems come back online," Raptor replied.

"I assume that this is their Prime," his tone was almost as sarcastic as Scavenger's had been, making it obvious that he wasn't highly impressed by him.

Optimus couldn't help but bristle a bit at the insult implied by his tone. But he bit his words before they escaped his lip components. Swapping insults with the Decepticon allies of his Autobot counterpart would not further the cause of rescuing their Guardians – and perhaps his own missing mechs. "Yes, and can I make the assumption that you are their Starscream?" He kept his true emotions hidden from his voice, which was actually a fairly difficult task. His history with the traitorous Seeker was long and rocky.

The red Seeker snickered. Showing off a bit, he casually rolled over them, flying upside down above them. The clear canopy of his cockpit actually touched Optimus's back armor. "The supreme ruler of the Decepticon faction," he replied. Pride dripped off every syllable. Optimus swore he could actually feel the sticky mass begin to coat him…

"So Megatron is dead in your dimension," Optimus dryly noted. His voice was so low that only Raptor could hear his words. That's the only way a Starscream could ever gain command wasn't it?

"And Starscream was the only Decepticon who had the honor to sacrifice himself to try to stop him. He died valiantly in one-on-one combat," Raptor informed him.

Optimus swore he could actually feel the Decepticon flying above him swell up in pride at the compliment. Apparently, this Starscream wasn't quite the cowardly traitor that their Starscream was - Or was he? "Fair combat?" he asked.

The Seeker began to snort a reply – thoroughly insulted. But Raptor cut him off. "Fair combat in front of all the Autobot and Decepticon forces."

Optimus mulled over the connotation of this. This was a Decepticon that their Prime's mate deeply respected, which most likely meant that her mate shared her view. A situation he'd never run across before. Perhaps a situation to learn from? Choosing his words carefully, he replied, "I'm deeply honored to serve with one such as you. Our Decepticon foes could learn much from the likes of one so honorable." True, he was slightly fudging the truth. Though if cons actually had some semblance of honor….

Apparently, his ploy worked. The red Seeker rolled away from them. His words of greeting floating back to them on the wind. The satisfied tone in his voice easily decipherable… Prime gripped tightly as Raptor banked hard to follow the Decepticon leader. Her contrails following in their wake…. "You've shown a measure of tact, Optimus. Perhaps you shall actually earn the right to keep the matrix."

He merely nodded in reply. His face mask rubbing the smooth canopy of her cockpit as he did so. Now he knew without a doubt that the Guardian commander was watching him carefully… Studying him, even as she worked with her allies in orchestrating the rescue of the lost Guardians… If he was careful, very careful, his missing mechs might also be included in that rescue.

And that was all he had hoped for in the first place – was it not?

-----

Raptor lent him a stabilizing hand as the great Decepticon Aircraft carrier plummeted towards the lake which bordered the Autobot base. Bending his legs and pressurizing his hydraulics, Optimus nodded to her as he accepted the assistance. He could imagine the turbulence that was soon to come. And standing on the flight deck watching as they approached their landing coordinates was probably not the safest place to be. In fact, they were the only ones doing such. The rest of the Decepticon/Guardian air force was air born and flanking the ship named Tidal Wave.

But he understood why she had placed them there. He watched as his mechs scrambled, preparing for the attack they assumed was happening. As they looked up and saw him standing there as if HE was in command of the great force – their weapons began to clang to the ground as they gaped in amazement. He glanced next to him, at the Guardian who'd ambushed him… Raping his processors through the very matrix he held so dear… He should feel animosity towards her. He had every right to. Yet, his processor kept trying to overlay the image of his deceased love over her.

Blinking his optics rapidly, he forced those images back into the recesses of his memory banks. Why they kept doing this – he just couldn't understand! This femme was nothing like his dear Elita. This femme took what she wanted – when she wanted. Without even sparing a moment to ask for consent! But yet…. His optics drifted over to her again. Wouldn't Elita have done the same if he had been in mortal danger? He compared the two femmes – one dead, one living – for the briefest of moments. Yes, Elita would've come storming in like a demon if she'd been put in a similar situation… They were more alike than different it seemed.

He watched the squadrons of Decepticons and Guardians as they swirled around the great mech upon which he stood. His meta still amazed that a single faction could mobilize both of the Cybertronian factions like this. That a single religious sect like the Guardians could keep the two groups of mechs living together in relative harmony. Especially a sect led by the femme mate of an Autobot Prime…. It just didn't fit with his experience with the Decepticons. He needed to know how it worked. How they kept the glue bonding them so strong…

"Why do the Decepticons accept your leadership during these missions? They aren't known for their skills of cooperation," he asked her, keeping his voice as low as he could. After all, they were standing on one of those mechs.

Raptor's lips curled up in an ironic smirk. "Don't beat around the bush Prime," she replied. Turning her head, her strange optics met his. Her very spark visible through the clear lenses… "What you really want to know is why they accept it – from the mate of a Prime. Am I correct?"

Not used to such bluntness, the mech simply nodded. It was a fair enough question – was it not?

The femme chuckled sadly. "Optimus was far from my first mate – though he will be my final mate. I've called many 'mates'. More like temporary partners truth be told." She paused while they braced against the impact of Tidal Wave's landing. The spray that he threw up high in the air came down in glistening rivets, coating them both in a light covering of cooling water. She met his optics again. "From Decepticon Commanders – to agents of the greatest evil," she added. Nothing more was spoken on the topic – for she turned and nodded for him to follow her..

He mulled over her words as he followed after those shimmering black/gold wings. So she'd sided with both Decepticons and Autobots in the past, before finding her soul mate in his counterpart? Yes, he could see how Decepticons could get along with her then. She would understand them – having lived amongst them as one of their leader's partners.

Now he understood what a complicated femme she was. She was also so much like his long-dead love – he could see why his counterpart had chosen her. But she was also so very different in many ways. Optimus was becoming truly fascinated now. His goals were now not just to convince them to rescue his mechs – but to also understand the relationship between this Guardian and his counterpart….

He gasped as he recalled what the Guardian had said concerning Hunter: _Her father is the commander of our Decepticon allies. She is our granddaughter. _His optics drifted up to that very Seeker who was now leading his troops as they landed. He saw the same emotion of deep concern etched onto Starscream's face plate – as he had felt within Raptor's spark. Yes, he had to understand the relationships between Guardians and mechs…

An understanding that might help him find a way to use the Guardians to help create peace in his own dimension….

-----

Note: yeah, little long, and in some ways I still feel like I left some things out…


	3. Chapter 3

Meet thy Fate part 3

-------

"They have locked down all bases, full shields up," Raptor growled as she slammed her fist down in frustration on the universal schematic in front of them.

Armada Prime sighed as his digits traced one of the many decepticon marks on the schematic, so many bases, so little time to find their lost guardians. "No way to penetrate?" he asked.

"That's a negative sir, guardians cannot warp directly through a force field," Armada Red Alert answered. He pointed to a particular sector, deep within Decepticon territory. "This is the last reported region of sightings by the cons."

"That's too deep in for a direct push," Scavenger added. His optic ridges furrowed in thought.

"But Spot's in there! You've got to get her!" Red Alert pleaded. His optics briefly met his counterpart's, and he felt a flash of disapproval at his emotional state. Gulping slightly, he sniffed back his tears and tried to straighten up. How was his counterpart so cool and collected at a time like this?!?

Armada Blurr leaned over the chart. "Hmmm, but without a strategy going in – our effort would most likely be in vain."

"Strategy? You Autobots are so pathetic. We should boldly go in there and just take what we want!" Armada Starscream snorted, contempt filling every word.

"Yeah, that's why we won – hmmmm Starscream?" Scavenger taunted.

The red Seeker straightened himself out, glaring at the bigger ground mech. "You wouldn't have won – IF we'd had better leadership!" he spat back.

"Ok you two, this banter is pointless, lets get back to the problem at hand," Armada Prime interrupted.

"Totally pointless I agree Sir," Armada Blurr added. His optics scanning Starscream, making it obvious as to whom he was actually insulting.

So the group went back to their tactical discussions, still completely ignoring most of the silent Autobots from this dimension who were watching.

----

"I still can't believe that that's Sideswipe, Blurr and Red Alert!" Ultra Magnus whispered to his Optimus. He was amazed at how completely different their behavior was from his mechs of those names.

"I know how you feel Ultra Magnus," Optimus agreed. His optics were still fixated on the older Guardian femme. His meta still constantly overlaying the image of Elita One on her. He HAD to find out why this was happening. Why was she bringing up those memories so strongly??

"You too?" the big blue mech asked, his voice so quiet that it wasn't even a whisper.

"What?" Optimus evasively replied.

"You see her too." It was more statement than question this time.

There was no sense hiding it, Ultra Magnus knew him far too well. But if he was asking – then his meta was also overlaying the image. "Affirmative. I can guess that you are as well?"

"Ever since she showed up. I feel Elita's spark near, almost like she's in this very room," he whispered back. It was a very disconcerting feeling, as if his sister's ghost was standing nearby. Mechs were generally terrified of ghosts – mainly because it was illogical.

"Ditto, I think we need to discuss this with Perceptor," Optimus replied. He was becoming more and more disconcerted for now he saw Elita more than Raptor. This was illogical!

--------

He felt her presence before she even appeared out of warp. Why she had sought him out – he had no clue. He and his Autobots, with the exception of the few Autobots who had been mated with the two lost Guardians, were pretty much out of the loop. The Guardian force and their extra-dimensional Transformer allies were making all the plans without them. This was their mission – not his. "May I assist you with something Elit-Raptor?" He couldn't believe that he'd almost said it! But as she appeared, it was hard for his meta to distinguish the Guardian from his deceased mate.

She had changed her appearance though. Her shiny black fuselage was now a dull camouflaged green, Decepticon insignias bright on her wings. The once sharp-looking femme was now so plain that she wouldn't gain a second glance by most mechs. Only her clear optics with her whirling purple spark shining through them bespoke of her true identity. Strangely, the rather fierce expression she usually had around him – softened at the slip of his glossa. "Come, let us walk for a while," she announced as she strolled by him.

Easily matching her pace, the Autobot fell in beside her. Resisting the strange urge to grab her hand and stroll like he'd once done with Elita One, he searched his meta for something to talk about. "So you're going to follow Scavenger and Blurr's plan?"

She shrugged, "It is the only one with a chance of success."

"Hmmm," he didn't know what to say really. He wasn't used to a mixed team coming up with a rescue plan, it had always just been himself shouldered with that immense responsibility. How his counterpart was going to handle watching his men and his femme leave in the disguise of Decepticon bounty hunters – he had no clue. He could never have let his dear Elita One go off into the heart of Decepticon territory without him. Regardless of her going surrounded by disguised Autobots, Guardians and Decepticon allies to protect her.

The dull-colored femme chuckled next to him. "I cannot die Optimus – at least not now," she said, as if answering his silent thoughts. Yet there was a slight off coloring in her tone, as if she didn't like the fact that she couldn't die.

Optimus glanced at her, realizing that she must still be able to read his like an open file through the matrix. "I'm not sure what to say about that – but you don't seem happy about this immortality that you claim to possess."

She stopped at the edge of a cliff, overlooking one of the many destroyed remains that had once been a great metropolis on the dimension's Cybertron. "It is no claim Prime. Sadly, it's my reality – for now."

He saw the regret etched on her face plate, but resisted the urge to pull her in his arms as he would've done for Elita. This was no Elita, no matter what image his meta processor kept trying to overlay. This temperamental femme would probably take any action like that from anyone other than her mech mate – the wrong way. So he just stood there. "You keep insisting that this isn't a permanent condition for you though," he pressed.

He felt the light brushing of digits on his shoulder plate then. Turning his head to her, he was a tad bit surprised that she initiated physical contact with him. From all his observations, she was completely loyal to his counterpart.

Raptor fought her way through her conflicting emotions. She'd suspected the truth for many cycles now. A now, seeing the looks flying between this dimension's Optimus and Magnus – she knew they were seeing their Elita every time they looked at her. It merely confirmed her deepest suspicions. It answered her life-long question of why she hadn't been allowed into the human heaven or hell when she had died. She had NEVER been a human soul! The bitter irony of how the Gods had played with her very soul like some little chess piece - bit into the very core of her being… "I see it in your optics every time you look at me," she said in a low voice. Bitterness flowed through her, balanced now by a strange sense of relief now that she was sure of what her life really was.

"What may I ask – do you see?" he replied evasively. What had the femme taken his expression as? Did she assume he now lusted for her? Did she take offense at the mere thought of that? How would she handle the truth – that he actually envisioned and lusted for his deceased mate when he looked at her – not HER?

Her chuckle now had an ironic edge to it. "You seek to bury your emotions just as your counterpart does." Her hand became firm as she forced him to fully turn and face her. Her optics narrowing as they bore into his. "It doesn't work for him – and it sure as hell doesn't work for you. You see HER." Her tone wasn't accusatory or spiteful, it was as if she was stating some fact that she had seen in a news report.

Unable to keep himself from looking down in slight embarrassment, Optimus felt like a youngling as he mutely nodded. Why did this strange Guardian hold so much power over his emotions? It was as if she'd known him all his life. It couldn't be just because she was his counterpart's mate – could it?

Once again, her chuckle of victory had an ironic edge to it. Moving closer to him, she didn't think about how she was invading his personal space as her digits slipped under his battlemask. The clips opened easily to digits well-practiced at removing his counterpart's battlemask. For some reason she had to see his face plate, expose him as she prepared to expose her own deepest secret. Even as she did so, she felt her bond mate's spark nearby, knew that he was now watching…. Wondering….

Optimus didn't move a servo. Didn't question why his counterpart's mate was taking his protection from the world and all it's judging optics away. She knew how much he needed that protection - had to know it since she was mated to his counterpart. He felt that kindred spark nearby. Felt optics boring into them from afar. Why was she doing this? Why was the Armada Optimus allowing her? But his peds were rooted to the crumbling pavement he stood upon, for his meta kept overlaying Elita's image on Raptor. His meta feeling Elita's digits slipping his mask off… He didn't want the dream to go away… Didn't want Elita's ghost to slip away…

Armada Optimus watched from afar. Slipping through his spark link with Raptor, he felt no lust in her – only a strange mix of elation, sadness and trepidation. He didn't know what her actions were leading towards. Didn't know why she had chosen to seek out the other Optimus. But it didn't involve cheating – of that he was sure. He also was positive that they were both well-aware of his presence. Raptor through her advanced sensory arrays – and his counterpart through their shared spark. He stood still and just watched from afar, for some reason knowing that this was a moment that he should not fear – but also should not interfere with.

He was so similar in facial construction to her Optimus. His face plate now bared to her, Raptor ran her digits along his strong jaw line. He was older than her Prime, more like the Prime of her original home dimension. She saw the expression in his optics again, knew without a doubt that he was overlaying Elita over her image. "Every being's soul is like an organic onion Optimus. Whether it be mech sparks – or fleshling souls. They are in layers upon layers. Each layer living life in a different dimension." Her accented voice was low, seeming to flow on the very breeze of time and space.

Fighting the urge to shiver under the familiar touch of her gentle digits, Optimus nodded. There was a reason she was explaining this to him and his counterpart. A reason that had something to do with his meta constantly overlaying a dead femme's image over her.

"Every being, that is, except one," she paused, searching his optics. She felt more than sensed, her Optimus moving closer. But she didn't turn her optics from the older Prime's. It was his spark that had been shattered so long ago. His and many others… Because of her …. Creation…. "Every Elita One off lined on the very same day cycle. The same astrohour… The same moment.."

Optimus blinked back the sudden tears of sorrow that flooded his optics. His chassis stiffened at the unexpected and tragic news. Without thinking about his actions, his hands were now on the femme, his digits pressing hard into her fuselage. He felt other hands going over his, blinking again he realized that his counterpart was there – the femme held between them. "How? Why?" he croaked in a hoarse whisper of dismay. His words echoed by the bulkier Optimus.

"Their sparks combined into a single entity as a child was conceived at that very moment. A human child." Raptor's strong voice broke slightly as her emotions spasmed from her tight control for a brief moment. "That child's name would be Elita Singleton… That child… was destined to become – me." She had now voiced it. For the first time in over a millennia she had spoken her human name. A sense of lightness came over her wings then. The burden of wondering… Of suspecting… Of knowing… Now lifted from her.

She looked deep into the older mech's optics as they widened in shock as the knowledge was passed. "I am your Elita… I am hundreds of Elitas forced into one.. We are not dead.. We are the One – the beginning the end… And the circle nears the division again." She turned slightly, so that she could meet her mate's optics. "That's what Primus was really offering in his riddle of mortality. He's only offering to return me to what I once was."

"Primus, Raptor…" Armada Prime tightened his arms around her, just as his counterpart also did. They stood there for what felt like an eternity, no one speaking…. Just lost within their own thoughts….

-------

"I just need to be alone Ultra Magnus," Optimus explained in a tired sounding voice. Lying back on their berth, he looked away from his dearest friend.

"So it's true, she is Elita?" the big blue mech asked. More to himself than to Optimus… He was still in total shock over the entire situation.

Prime nodded, "She never did die. She just combined into a single spark. Raptor didn't even suspect this until the last few orbit cycles. She finally put two-and-two together because you and I were able to actually SEE the truth of her spark."

"We can't let her go on this mission Optimus. It's our fault that the young Guardians even NEED to be rescued!" Ultra Magnus was now up on his peds, pacing back-and-forth. He'd lost his beloved sister once. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her spark again!

"We have to Ultra Magnus, it's killing the other Optimus as well. But we'd blow the mission. And…."

"And what?"

"Raptor thinks she has to die again and again performing Primus's duty. Each time a layer peels off and another Elita One returns. Then Raptor thinks she'll be forced back to perform the next mission – until she's finally peeled all the layers off. And is mortal again." Even as Optimus repeated her theory, he tried to force himself to believe in it – which wasn't an easy thing to do.

"Damn-it – what if her theory is WRONG?!?" Ultra Magnus shot back.

Optimus turned over and looked at his friend. "Then she never dies. All the Elita Ones are trapped as one spark within her." He didn't know whether he should feel sad or happy about either situation. In fact, he simply felt powerless… Helpless to help the one spark he'd give everything for…

Slamming his tailpipes down on the berth, Ultra Magnus put his helm in his hands. He was as helpless as Optimus in protecting his sister's spark. And there wasn't a Primus-damned thing he could do about it!

……….

"Psssssttttt, Spot? You ok?" Eject asked. Looking around the cockpit, he read the data tracks coming up on the screens. The femme he was riding in had suffered heavy damage during their attempted escape. But somehow she had managed to avoid totally crash landing when she came down, and even though she wasn't conscious, her cloaking was fully engaged. That's the ONLY reason that the Decepticon searchers hadn't found them yet.

"Still out cold, huh?" Sideswipe whispered. Weakly, he turned his head, scanning their surroundings. They were in a deep chasm, his chained arms still wrapped tightly around her nosecone. This meant he was pretty much stuck in that position, since her underbelly – and thus his arms – were pinned tightly against the rock. Hearing voices, he clamped his lips shut as he watched another Decepticon search team peer down in their direction.

Finally, the searchers moved on. Exhaling in relief Sideswipe relaxed again and set his helm back down against the cool fuselage underneath him. "Well, at least her cloaking covers all of us – and never turns off."

"Mirage needs to learn this trick," Eject agreed. He looked up and saw nothing but the bigger mech's belly armor pressed against the cockpit canopy. "Hey, I know you're pretty damaged yourself, but can you shift enough so that I can try and pry her canopy open?"

"Yeah, think so." The red mech gritted his dental plates together as he forced his chassis to move. Every servo and linkage hurt like hell after his time as a Decepticon play toy. Granted, being trapped in a crevice wasn't exactly the place he wanted to be – but it was far better than where he'd just come from. "So, this femme was the spy running loose on base?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

Getting a crowbar in between the seems, Echo grunted as he put all his hydraulics into the effort. "More like a hacker really. She claims to be some other faction of Transformer. But most of us think she's just a young con with a crush."

Trying to shift even more off of the canopy, Sideswipe couldn't help but grin at that explanation. It would be funnier than hell to have one of Megatron's newest prototypes converting to an Autobot because she fell for one of them. "So who's she fixated on?" he asked. He was laying bets on either Sunstreaker or Tracks. Those two usually caught all the femme's optics when they went bar hopping.

"Red Alert." Finally getting the canopy open a crack, Echo transformed, slid out, and transformed again before he fell off the ledge. Ever light on his peds, he hopped onto Sideswipe's backside and began to inspect his comrade's damage.

"Red Alert? You've got to be kidding! Why him?" Sideswipe tried not to gasp in pain as the little mech inspected his damage.

"Dunno. Maybe the whole 'rescue the helpless captive' thing went to her meta," Echo quipped. Getting to Sideswipe's arms, he slid down them and began to cut the piece of chain that was not crammed under the unconscious femme.

"Whatever works. So besides warp and cloak – what else can she do? Well, besides hack into mainframes." Sideswipe's crafty meta was already thinking up some ways to get them out of the predicament they were currently in.

"Hologram imaging, and she's carrying some serious missiles in her interior bays. Didn't tell anyone – until she told me as we were headed here." Echo had been pretty pleased about the full disclosure. She'd actually been calling him 'boss' as well. Made a little mech feel pretty good for sure.

"How serious are we talking about?" Sideswipe tried to wiggle the arm free as the chain loosened.

"Nukes." Walking over the red mech, Echo squeezed himself between them and the cliff and started to cut the chain on the other side.

Impressed, Sideswipe whistled his approval. "Man, the things I could do with a hologram imager and some nukes," he snickered. Wiggling his other hand free, he patted her fuselage.

"E… Echo?" a weak femme voice whispered.

"Shhhh, don't move until you get your bearings," the little mech whispered back. He walked across Sideswipe's back armor again.

"What happened boss?" she asked, her voice getting stronger as she fully reactivated.

"Boss? You?" Sideswipe snickered.

"Yeah, you gotta problem with that?" Echo teased.

"Um, not when you're standing on my interface arrays," Sideswipe teased back. "By the way – that hurts… Move!"

Hopping off his fellow Autobot, Echo landed lightly on the shredded remains of Spot's right wing. "Run full diagnostic Spot," he ordered.

"Yes sir," she simply replied, going silent again as her processor performed the task. A moment later, it was complete. "A-G radar functional, A-A radar functional, Infrared functional, communications functional, port engine functional, port warp functional, cloak functional, HI functioning, Weapons systems 80%, flight capability 10%."

"Ok, so half of your engines are shot and so is long distance warp and flying out of here – right?" he summed it up.

"Yes sir. Any sign of Dinobot?"

"Dino – who?" Echo had no clue as to what she was talking about. He'd seen that hired gun Hunter show up to cover their afts – but no one else.

"The other Guardian who assisted our escape."

"You mean that arrogant piece-of-slag Hunter?" Sideswipe asked. He'd actually been surprised as hell to see those silver tipped wings fly past them. He'd assumed that Sunstreaker might've come off some credits and hired her or something.

"Yes – her," Spot's voice wavered slightly, as if she was worried.

"You claim she's a Guardian – like you?" Echo asked in a suspicious tone.

"Yes, um, she's my sister actually," Spot explained.

"You've got to be kidding. She's nothing like you. She'd bitch out Optimus for even thinking he could make her do anything." Echo was getting worried himself though. If Hunter was a Guardian and Spot was a Guardian – and it was actually true… Then the Autobots had made a BIG mistake in sending Spot on this mission. He sat down heavily on what was left of her wing. "You're really what you said you are," he muttered.

"Yeah, um, I thought you said you believed me?"

"I was just humoring what I THOUGHT was a young love-struck con." He frowned as he patted her fuselage. "I'm sorry – and I'm really sorry 'bout your sister. Slag it – we really screwed up!"

"Why, what happened to Dinobot?" Spot asked.

"Well, last we saw of her, she was diving straight towards the Decepticon base with all her bays open and missiles activated. Then it all blew up in our face plates," Echo told her.

At first her fuselage trembled, then began to shake as she broke out in hopeless sobs.

Rolling off her, Sideswipe kept a hold of her as she transformed. The femme collapsed in his arms, totally inconsolable. The three of them sat on the ledge as the sobs echoed……

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Darting out of the inferno, the silvery protoform growled in total disgust. Hiding from boulder to boulder, the now much-smaller form easily evaded detection. Finding a flowing river of water, it jumped in and allowed the current to carry it rapidly away. Hundreds of clicks flowing away before it finally climbed out.

With a growl, the silvery figure reached one hand out then another, laboriously climbing from the current. A quick scan for organic life forms filled it's meta with various forms from which to choose.

As reptilian scales replaced silvery skin, the former Guardian looked up at the double moons and screamed, "I'm Guardian no more – fech no more! I'm Dinobot the mech! The warrior! Let all who meet my talons – meet their destruction!" No longer cursed with being both femme and mech like his sire had been – the new organomech allowed his alt mode form to take over his programming. He disappeared amongst the organic creatures of the planet…… Not to appear again for millennia…

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_Note: Ok, another somewhat long one… But there's so many things meshing together in this plot! Please review…_


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